Concrete-pipe machine



Aug. 12 1924.

E. ROBBINS CONCRETE PIPE MACHINE Filed Nov. 9, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 12', 1924. 1,504,834

E. ROBBINS CONCRETE PIPE MACHINE Aug. 12, 1924, 1,504,834

E. ROBBINS CONCRETE PIPE MACHINE Filed NOV. 9. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lal/en W54 Ey ROBE/Ns.

Patented Aug.. 12, 1924.

PATENT i* OFFICE.

EMSLEY RoBBiNs, or UPLAND, CALEORNIAL Y CONCRETE-PIPE MACHINE.

Application led November 9, 1921. Serial No. 513,919.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EMSLEY RoBBINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Upland, in the county of San Bernardino and Sta-te of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Concrete-Pipe Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a machine for making pipe or conduit sections from concrete or like cementitious material, the principal objects of my invention being to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing types of concrete pipe forming machines, to provide a machine that willy very rapidly and effectively perform the operations incident to the production of concrete pipe and the like, to provide Ya machine having interchangeable forms, thereby making it possible to produce on the same machine, pipe sections of different diameters, and further to provide a concrete pipe forming machine having a Wide range of adjustment, thereby making it possible to secure accuracy and uniformity of product. Y

Further objects of my invention are to provide in a machine of the character referred to, improved means for tamping the cementitious material that is delivered into the mold cavity,'to arrange the tamping member so that it will automatically move upward as the cementitious material fills the mold cavity and further to mount. the tamping means so that it may' be shifted into an out of the way position while the finished pipe section in its enclosing form is being removed from Vthe machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter bemore fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of-a concrete pipe forming machine of my iniproved construction, with parts thereofbroken away and insection.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine with parts thereof in horizontal section.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section `taken approximately on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 1`

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, l() designates a substantially rectangular framethat is arranged just beneath the surface of the ground, within a pit 11, and which latter is Vprovided with a lining, or wall 12, preferably of concrete and upon which the frame 10 is mounted. j

Supported byvframe 10, above the forward'portion of the pit 11', is a ring 13, preferably of cast metal and'secured thereto at diametrically opposite points, are the upper ends of apair of depending rods 14, the lower ends of which support a transversely disposed plate 15, from the center of which depends a fluid pressure cylinder 16. Y'

Arranged on the lower portions o-f rods 14 are blocks 17 of rubber that perform the functions of cushions for the ends of a cross bar 18, and which ends are arranged for sliding movement on the rods 14.

Secured to the center of the cross bar 18, and depending therefrom, is a piston rod 19, the lower end of which is positioned within cylinder 16 and carries a piston 20.

Formed on top of cross bar 18, is a ring 21, in the top of which is formed a ball race that is occupied by a number of balls 22, and bearing thereupon is a disc-like plate 23.

Formed on top of center of disc 23, is a boss 24, and extending through an aperture formed in the center of Ysaid boss, is a rod 25, the lower end of which is secured to cross bar 1,8. l

Rod 25 extends-upwardly from plate 23, and its upper end is detachably Asecured to the upper end of a hollow cylindrical core 26, the lower end of the core being provided with an inturned flange 27, the inner edge of which bears against the edge of boss 24.V A

' Each of my improved pipe forming machines is provided with a series of cylindrical cores 26, of different diameters, thereby making it possible to form pipe sections of different diameters.

Projecting inwardly from` ring 13 is a flange 28, and supported by anti-friction bearings 29, preferably ofthe ball type that are arranged onsaid flange, is a horizontallyV disposed ring plate 30,'the upper surface 1l is formed; e

under side ofA ring 28., therebyv providing adjustable stops to liinit' the upward Inovement of said cross bar and the parts carred thereby.

Removably arranged within ring plate 30,

isla smaller ring plate 34, that encircles the lowervpportion of cylindrical Core 26, and each machine isprovided with a number of ring plates 34,`corresponding to the number oficoresvv 26, )and which ring' plates are adapted-to receive, the various sized cores in orderito permit differentv sized pipe sections toibe produced.'

j The lowerv end of a shell, or enclosingcylinder, is, removably positioned on ring` plate 34,;and is vretainedthereupon by suitableexternally arranged latching devices 36, the wall of said Yshell being concentrically arranged relative to core 26.

Arranged adjacent to the upper'end of cylinder 35, is a pair ofseini-circular arms 37,- providedcon their forward ends with handles 38 and their rear ends being hinged toa-suitable support 39. I

j Secured to\ thejarins 37, are the mating parts' or vwalls of a hopper 40, into which the pipe Vforming material in plastic forni is adapted to be delivered. A lip 40a is secured tothe lower portion of thehopper 40 andv entends over the end of the shell 35 against the upper end of the core 26, the downwardly extending end of the lipY being substantially halfthe thickness of the cast- 'ingt to be made so astoimake an outside rabbet. j At thel lower end of the castingy Y .spacebetween the core 26 and shell 35 is ring 35a which fits against the inner face of theyv shell 35 end is substantially half the thicknessof the casting space, so as to make an inside rabbet at the opposite end of the casting from the outside rabbet.-

The parts just described and the core 2G, are` constructed so that the upper end of said Core, when elevated, Yoccupies approximately thel vsame horizontal `plane with the upper `edge, of the shell 3.5.. i' i Connected to the; upper and lower endsof cylinder V16, are fluid pressure carrying pipes i, 4l, that lead to a three-way valve 42, which latter is provided with a suitably located .operatinghandle 43, -and leading to said "three-,ways valve from a suitable source of compressedV fluid supp ly,is a pipe44.

VSupported by, franie 10, `Yand disposed above the rear portion of pit '11', is a frame work 45, and journaled in a bearing 46, that is located on the lower portion of said framt` work 45, is a vertically disposed shaft 47, carrying on its.upper end, a pinion 48. that meshes with the teeth 32, of ring 31, and the lower end of said shaft 47, carries a beveled pinion 49.

Arranged for rotation in suitable bearings 50, on the under side of the frame work 45, is a horizontally disposed shaft 5l, carrying on its forward end a beveled pinion 52, that meshes with pinion 49, and secured on said shaft 50, is a belt wheel 53.

Journaled iii suitably located bearings 54, in the upper portion of frame work 45, is a horizontally disposed driving shaft 55. that may be driven from a suitable source of power in any desired manner, preferably by means of a belt 56, that operates on a belt wheel 57.

Loosely arranged on shaft 55, and adapted to be connected thereto by means of a manually operable clutch 58, is a 4belt wheel 59, and operating thereupon and on belt wheel 53, is a belt 60.

The parts just described provide means for limporting Vrotary motion to the ring plate 30, and parts carried thereby.

The upper portion offraine 45 includes a pair of transversely disposed rails 61, upon the central portions of which are arranged adjustable bearings 62, for alongitudinally disposed frame G3, and journaled in bearings in. the ends ofsaid frame, is a shaft G4. The rear end of this shaft carries a belt wheel 65, around which passes a belt G6, and said belt also passes around a belt wheel G7, that Ais loosely arranged on shaft 55.

Belt wheel G7 is adapted to 'be locked to shaft by means of a manually operable clutch 68.

Fixed on the forward end of the shaft (i4. is a' disc 67, from which projects an eccentrically arranged wrist pin G8, and j ournaled on said wrist pin, is the upper end of a` link 69. rlhe lower end of link G9is pivotally connected to the lower rear portion of a vertically disposed housing 70, through which passes a vertically disposed tamping rod 7l, the lower end of which carries a short arcuate iinger 72,

Arranged within housing 70, and bearing against the front face of tainping rod 7l, is a friction; plate 73,' of leather, fibre or analogous material and which ma); be forced inwardly against the taniping rod 'by means of the ,set screwv74 that is located in the .front wall of the box.

Arranged Vfor swinging movement upon the forward end ofthe tubular frame 63. and adapted to be locked thereto b v a set screw 75. is avertically disposed arm 76, the upper end of kwhich' carries a' friction pad 77, against which the upper portion of the tamping rod 7l bears while in operation.

lll() llifi lll) The lower portion of arm 76, carries a forwardly projecting rod 7 8, and secured to the forward end thereof, is a bearing 79 for the lower portion of tamping rod. In order to firmly support the bearing 79, an arm 80, is pivotally mounted atits outer end to a part of frame 45, and the inner end of said arm being .provided with a hook that 1s adaptedto engage over rod 78 when the arm 76 occupies a vertical position.

When the hook on the lower end of arm is disengaged from arm 7 8, and the set screw 75 is released, the arm 76 and parts carried thereby, may be swung into an inclinedposition as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby permitting the cylinder and parts carried thereby to be removed from the ring plate 34.

Frame 63 is mounted for longitudinal adjustment in order that thetamping meansc may be shifted toward or away from the front of frame 45, so that the lower portion of the tamping rod 7l will venter the annular chamber within the mold of the machine.

The operation of my improved pipe forming machine is as follows:

With the parts of the machine occupying the positions as illustrated in Figs. l and 2, and with driving shaft 55 being rotated by the application of suitable power, the plastic material from which the pipe sections are formed, is delivered into the hopper 40, and said material passes downwardly into the annular space between the core 26 and the wall of shell 85.

At the beginning of the plastic material feeding operations, the operator of the machine manipulates clutch 58 to lock belt wheel 59 to shaft 55, and as a result, rotary motion is imparted to shaft 5l, and through the driving connections 52, 49, 47 and 48, ring plate 80 and parts carried thereby will be rotated so that as the plastic material is fed into the annular mold cavity, said material will be carried around the relativelyV stationary core 26 until enough material has been delivered into the .mold to create sulficient friction to rotate the core 26 with. the adjacent rotating parts.

To operate the tamping means, the operator actuates the clutch 68 to lock beltwheel4 67 to the shaft 55, and through belt 66 and belt wheel 65, rotary motion willbe imparted to shaft 64 and parts carried thereby.

As Vthe disc 67 is rotated, link 69 will impart vertical reciprocatory movement to the tamping rod 7l, with the result that the finger 72 on the lower end of said rod will engage and tamp the plastic material as it fills up the annular space'in the mold, and as the height of said plastic'material increases in said annular space, the tamping rod 7 2 will be automatically moved upward through its bearings and in so. doing, it must neces-Y sarily overcome the resistance offered by friction member 7 3, and the pressure of which latter it will be understood may be adjusted by set screw 74. During the vertical movement of tamping rod 71, the lower portion thereof operates through bearing 79, and the upper end bears against pad 77, and thus said rod is firmly supported during its vertical movements.

When theplastic material completely fills the annular chamber between the core 26 and cylinder 55, and before the parts cease rotating the upper inner edge of the plastic material is engaged by the downwardly pending portion of a lip or iiange 40a that is secured to the lower portion of hopper 40 C and as the cylinder of material continues to rotate, a rabbet or annular groove is formed in the inner face of the upper end of the tubularbody of plastic material, and thus the finished pipe or conduit section may be fitted to the end of an adjacent section when` the pipe or conduit sections are laid in the ground.

Located on the inner face of the lower portion of cylinder 35 is a ring 35a that forms in the outer face of the lower end of the pipe or conduit section a rabbet or recess that is adapted to receive the projecting portion on the end of an adjacent pipe or conduit section.

When the annular chamber in the mold has been filled with plastic material, the operator releases the clutches 58 and 68, thereby cutting off the transmission of rotary movement from the driving shaft 55 to the shafts 5l and 64.

The operator now disengages the hook on the lower end of arm 8O from rod 78, then unscrews set screw 75, thereby permitting arm 76 to be swung intoan inclined position as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thus, the parts of the tamping device are shifted into an out of the way position after which `the handles 88 are engaged and swung outwardly from each other, thereby separating the parts of the hopper 40.

The operator now manipulates three-way valve 42, so as to admit fluid pressure from supply pipe 44 into the pipe 4l leading to the top of cylinder 16, and such action moves the piston 2O and parts connected thereto downward, with the result that core 26 is drawn downward from its position within the pipe section formed in the mold, and when the upper end of the core reaches its lower limit of movement, the latching devices 36 are released, thereby permitting the shell 35, with the pipe section therein, to be removed to a suitable drying chamber.

Another cylinder 35 is now positioned on ring plate 84 and core 26 is elevated by admitting fluid. pressure to the bottom of cylinder 16,V which action Vnecessarily moves piston 2O `upwardly within said cylinder and after properly placing the parts of the hop-` af'und the upperie'ndof'tlie cylinder 85, and' shitting thepart's .of the tamping device back to normal position, the machine g1 ady for the 'succeeding pipe forming its yhereinloefore stated, 'each machine is equipped with a number of different size cores, and shells 35, so that with 'each machine it is possibleto producepipel sections of diferent diameters. Obviously, eachY set of f' ims whioh'include the core 26 and shell 35 "inus'tbe 'provided with a properring plate Maud with 'a corresonding hopper 40.

rivco'ncrete pipe forming machine of my improved construction is comparatively simple, is under ready control of a single operator, and very rapidlyV performs the operations necessary to produce ceinentitious" pipe of tube sections'. Y Y

lt w'il'lgbe readily understood that minor changes in therf'orin andconstruotion of the various pai-ts of my improved pipe' formi ingY machine may be made and substituted positioned on' the lower support and entend-` ing'upivardly'through the upper support and through the cylinder positioned thereon,` a lip;rigidlylmounted at the' upper 'endof'the cylinder and extending' downwardly against the outer end ofthe core t'o form an outside ralobet, anda ring ntti'ng inside of the lower end ofthe cylinder to form an inside rabbet.

2. In a concrete pipe Vforming machine, a`

rotatively mounted support, acylinderre movably positioned upon said support, Ya support arranged for movements beneath thefirst mentioned support, a core rem'ov` ably positioned on theV lower support and extending upwardly through the upper suppjo'rt and through thecylinder positioned `thereon, means i for raising and lowering s'aid 'core and the support therefor, a lip rigidly mounted at the upper end of the cylinder and extending'downwardly against the outer lend of the core., to form an outside rabb'dfand' a ring iitting inside of the lower end ofthe cylinder to form an inside rabbet.

3.' Ina concrete pipe forming machine, a

y rotatively mounted support, ya cylinder ref movably', pos`itioned upon said support, a support arranged for movements beneath thefgfi'rst mentionedsupport, a core removably positioned on the lower support and extendingvupwardlythrough the upper supportv and through the cylinder positioned thereon', means for tamping plastic material is 'delivered intti the annular chamber en the cylinder and core,a,lip rigidly mounted atthe `opper end of the cylinder and eritending downwardly against the outer end of the coreto form an outside rabb'et, and a ring fitting inside of the lower end of the'cylinder to forin an inside rabbct.

In af'c'oncret pipe vforming machine, a rotatively inounted support, a'cylinder removably positionedupon said support, a support arranged for movements beneath the' first mentioned support, a' core removably positioned Von the lower support and extending upwardly through the upper 'support and through the' cylinder positioned tnereon, means for raising and lowering said core and the support therefor, means for tamping plastic material that is delivered into the annular chamber between the cylinderandcoie, a lip rigidly mounted at the upper 'end of the cylinder and extending downwardly against the outer end of the core Vto form an outside iabbet, and a rin r fittingin'side of the lower end of the cylinder toform an inside rabbet. l

5. ln a concrete pipe forming machine, nold comprising a rotatively moiinted cylinder, a core concentrically arranged within said cylinder, said core lbeing mounted to rotateindepend'ently of said cylinder` and t'o move" lengthwise therethrough2 a stal tioini-ryy hopper adapted to be positioned about the 'upper1V end of said cylinder, and a lipjprojecting from the lower edge of the hopper into the space between s'aid cylinder and core.

6; In a Vconcrete pip'e forming machine, a rotatively mounted support, a hollow cylinder removably positioned on said surpport,` cylindrical core concentrically arranged ivithin said cylinder and adapted to more lengthwise therethrough and to rotate independently thereof, a stationary hopper disposeduabout the upper end of the annular chamber between said core and cylinder, and :if lip projecting from the loweredge ofsaid hopper into said annular chamber;

7. In a concrete pipeformink machine, a rotatiifely mounted support, a hollow cylinder removably positioned on said support, fa cylindrical kcore concentrically arranged within said cylinder and adapted to move lengthwise therethrough and to rotate independently thereof, a stationary hopper disposed about the upper end of Athe annular chamber between said core and cylinder', a lip projecting from the lower edge of said hopper into said annular chamber, and "a 'ring located in the bottom ot' the cylinder and of a width less than that of the. 'spa'cepb'etwee'n the cylinder and core.

y8. concrete. pipe forming machine coniprising a stationary support, rods depending frointhe' support, an element slidable on the rods., elevating means operatively connected to the element7 ai Support rotatalble on the element, a core on the rotatable support, a shell rotatable en the stationary support and adapted to receive said core when the element is elevated, and screws mounted in the element and engageable with the stationary support for defining the uppermost position of the core.

9. A. concrete pipe forming machine comprising a stationary support, rods depending from the support, an element slidable on the rods, elevating means operatively connected tok the element, a support rotat able on the element, a core on the rotatable support, a sliell rotatable on the stationary support and adapted to receive said core when the element is elevated, and Yadjustable means mounted on the element and engageable with the stationary support for defining the uppermost position of the core.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to thisspecicaton.

EMSLEY ROBBINS, 

